“Vive La France!”
What the Hell
“What the hell is De Gaulle doing? Who authorized this? What is going on? He resigned, for God's sake! He no longer has a post in the army! Why are they listening to him? This is ridiculous! This is a disaster for more than just France! Doesn't the idiot realize that? His little stunt will rip a hole in our lines that you can drive a Mack truck through! Does that stupid clown think we are actually going to use an atomic bomb in France? The French, and the rest of the world would hate us forever. The Brits might even pull out of the fight altogether.”
“Well sir, I guess he's just has had enough. After spending all those years in England waiting to liberate his country, and then to see it free for only a little less than a couple years...you gotta feel for the guy.”
“I don't give a rat’s ass for his feelings. His actions will kill a lot of people, and not only Frenchmen. This could be a disaster in the making. Any ideas gentlemen; on how we can mitigate his actions and rectify the situation?”
“Well sir, it appears that De Gaulle and his rebel units are making their stand near the French border for symbolic political and practical reasons. It's easily defended from the Soviet tanks and they are going to use some of the most historic battle grounds for his little drama. They are anchoring their right flank on the Maginot Line defenses that are still intact, and will pivot south using the fortifications until he's finally surrounded.”
“He's counting on our support and is going to go down swinging. You know the French, and their pride. They can be quite dramatic at times. Their history is full of futile and heroic stunts just like this. I kind of admire the guy myself.”
“Horseshit! How can we use this to our advantage? I need suggestions, and I need them now!”
“Well sir, we could possibly use this to further the 'Louisville Slugger' operation.”
“How so? I would think that this would really mess it up and throw it out the window.”
“The Reds will see this as a huge hole in our lines, and will come pouring through. If history is any guide they will then cut behind our lines and attempt to encircle us, trapping as much personnel, equipment and supplies, as they can. Same tactics as they've used so far. The key would be to make them swing wide enough to draw them in. Make them keep widening the net to trap more troops. Keep their attention off the coast, and off us.”
“De Gaulle and his fanatics should be able to hold out at least a week, maybe more. This will slow up the Soviet advance as they deal with the trapped French troops. They can't afford to leave pissed-off Frenchmen in their rear area. Plus, it makes for good headlines for the people back home; all those French troops surrendering makes for good propaganda films. This will also slow up their advance, towards the Mediterranean coast of France.”
“We use the time to separate our forces and follow Plan 'Griddle,' presented by the Combined Chiefs of Staff just last month. Meanwhile, the Brits can get their act together and, along with the French forces that are still in the fight, form around Le Havre just like we planned. Then we execute 'Louisville Slugger,' and bust 'em across the jaw with a big ol' bat.”
***
The US Congress and President are under tremendous pressure to do something…anything.
***
Capisce
“Sit down Dave. We need to talk.” The Army officer motions his friend to have a seat.
“What's this about Fred? You know that even though we're friends you can't stifle free speech in this country. The public has a right to know. Currently the so-called NATO powers are getting their ass kicked, and the public has a right to know why, so I've been telling 'em. You can't intimidate me Fred, if that's what this is all about. The incompetence of this administration and our generals has to be part of the public record, so this never happens again. The public has a right to know!”
“Calm down Dave. Just let me fill you in on a few facts that you should keep in mind. Some are all well-known public facts. Easily looked up and easily verified, and some I'm letting you in on off the record. Capisce?”
“Off the record, huh? Well, since we're old pals and all, just this once I'll listen to your little spiel. If I can confirm by any other source, anything that we talk about, I'll print it... Capisce?”
“I'll take my chances Dave, but his has real-world consequences that can kill a lot of people if you mess up. Just keep that in mind as I fill you in.”
“Off the record...currently the U.S. has fifteen half-strength divisions remaining in Europe, the Brits have seven full-strength divisions and the French have ramped it up to around fifteen, but most are extremely weak and untrained.”
“Additionally, there are only two U.S. divisions capable of offensive action; the rest are just cannon-fodder at this point. They have just enough power to save their own skins, and that is by running. There is no time to destroy bridges, supplies or anything else if you want to stay a cohesive fighting force while backing up as fast as you can as the other guy is running full tilt at you.”
“Imagine that it's the Army-Navy football game, and that you’re a Navy defensive back. Army's Doc Blanchard is coming straight at you. Would you have time to run over to the bench, and dump the drinking water, before trying to tackle him?”
“You can destroy the supplies, or save your life.... most of our boys are concerned about saving their lives and I can't blame them.”
“From what we have been able to gather the Soviets have yet to use their own internal supplies. You know; the supplies that they are carrying with them. Why should they? They just stop at the nearest supply depot fill up, and move on. They are not even doing much shooting. The most critical things are spare parts for their T-34 tanks.”
“If your tank breaks down, just grab an M-4 Sherman. There are plenty of spare M-4's left abandoned and plenty of parts for them. Leave your broken-down T-34, and grab a Sherman. Let the second-line troops fix your tank. 'Just keep moving' is what they've been told. The Germans made great use of captured and discarded equipment, as does every other army, and the Reds are no different. The Soviets have the added advantage of having American Lend-Lease transports; both air and ground, and now replacement parts are all over the place.”
“Now look at our situation. Think of the French in 1940. It's true that we have better air cover, but we're still outnumbered three-to-one, in the air. Then you add the disadvantage of not having enough units to fill the line. At least the French in 1940 had a huge army bigger than that of the Germans.”
“Now think about this: our boys just plain do not have enough manpower to even physically make a cohesive defensive line. There is just too much territory to cover with just thirty or so divisions.”
“Divisions have to withstand an attack by a Tank Army, which was slightly larger than our full corps, and there are three of those to our one division.”
“A good old-fashioned carpet-bombing is months away and you need a static front for that.”
Dave interrupts, “Bomb their supply lines, then.” Incredulous, Fred replies, “What supply lines? This is Genghis Khan Time. Rape and pillage, without the burnings. Military supplies including fuel, are just lying around like a Walgreen's in Chicago. Just pick up some ammunition or rations, like ice cream, whenever you want.”
“Just think back a few months Dave. We had over twelve million men under arms at the end of the last war, sixteen million at its peak. We have been in the process of rapidly demobilizing all but three and a half million, of those service personnel in less than six months. It's been truly amazing, and, in retrospect, ghastly horrifying. They used battleships and aircraft carriers as troop transports, but you already knew that. One ship made close to ten round-trips taking back thousands at a time, camped out all over her decks. It was, without a doubt, the biggest mass-migration ever.”
“You also know that Truman wanted to slow it down, even stop it, until we knew what the Soviets had planned. And you know what? Who was the most vocal critic of
that policy at the time, Dave?”
“Ah, come on, Fred! That's not fair! How could we know that Uncle Joe was up to no good?!?”
“Exactly Dave, and you and others like you didn’t want to know… Now, I'm asking you a favor. You need to back off a little and get some of your rabble-rousing pals to get in line as well. We have a plan, and we are on the verge of executing it, but you have to trust us. If the Reds found out some of what I just told you, there would be holy hell to pay, and firing squads will be lined up to take care of the squealers. Do you catch my drift, old buddy?” Dave gives Fred a shocked slack-jawed look.
Grimly satisfied at Dave's reaction, Fred continues, “No, Dave this is ugly...real ugly for us. This is just about as ugly as ugly can get and right now we don't need any more grief from people in the press who won't keep score properly.” Fred waits for Dave's reply.
Dave collects his thoughts, obviously forming his reply, then speaks, “Alright Fred, I get it. I'll back off and see what I can do about spreading the word to the other reporters. But so you know, when this is all over there’s gonna be an accounting, and you'll have to answer the hard questions. Got me? Now... how much of this is on the record?”
“I can live with that Dave; as for what's on the record, the part where Uncle Joe is a flat-out no-good-nik...that part.What'cha Got Today Smitty?
What'cha Got There Charlie
June 9, 1946
“Ah jeez Bill! Are you sure you're not telling anyone about this? You could get us into a lot of trouble.”
“Don't get your bloomers in a bunch. I'm the apex of discretion.”
“You're what?”
“Never mind, just hand 'em over.”
“You heard about this De Gaulle guy? You know, the one that just resigned as the commander of the French Army? I guess he's gathered together a bunch of diehards and they are going to fight to the death, using the old Maginot Line fortifications as cover.”
“Yeah? Let’s see them maps.” Smitty hands the maps to Bill, who studies them carefully.
“Well, that first one don't look so bad,” He comments on the first map he peruses. Then, he moves onto the next one.
“Now, that's a horse of a different color. Dang, they split the line between the U.S. Army, French regulars and DeGaulle's volunteers. That's not good. And just when we finally stopped runnin', too...”
June 9th, 1946 on the Maginot Line
“The French Are Done”
June 16th, 1946
Field Headquarters,
Soviet Army's Northern Group of Forces (NGF),
Near Bastogne, Belgium
“Well Nikolai, the French are finished. That was their last futile attempt to break out, and they are starting to surrender in droves. I hope the cameras are working overtime for Comrade Stalin's entertainment. I personally found it distasteful to see the waste of so many brave men's lives, on such a hopeless cause. Too bad our French Communist comrades did not try harder to put a stop to it sooner.”
“You know Marshal Sokolovsky that they are with us now. The hero of the Free French, that DeGaulle fellow, has fallen. He was a very brave, but ultimately, foolish man. I heard he put up quite a personal fight in one of the old forts, and died very heroically. I suppose someone with a nose that big cannot help but be a hero. It was the only way to get women.”
“Do not speak ill of the dead Nikolai. He may have been a great man under other circumstances, but as fate would have it, he is now dead. Zhukov assigned us to mop up here and we did, while he continues to attack along the coasts. Now, it is time to unleash our armies and do what we do best. Now, is the time for "deep operations". After this delay, we can get on with trapping the Western forces against the sea.”
“We have finally made Stalin understand that cities should not be the primary focus. The enemy’s armies are the key. We will be bypassing Paris, and advancing toward LeHavre, where the NATO forces seem to be gathering for another Dunkirk. We will not make the same mistake that the Nazis made, and will crush them with our armor, or drown them in the English Channel.”
“Sounds like another glorious victory for the Red Army, and for you personally, Marshal Sokolovsky.”
“Yes, it will be. Zhukov captured Berlin, but I will win the whole of Europe for Tovarishch Stalin and the workers of the world, with one lightning thrust.”
“It should be a glorious day Marshal.”
Georgy and Vasily
“I'm glad those Frenchmen have finally given up Vasily. All this crawling around in these old forts was not terribly heroic. War is not what I had imagined. It is so noisy and confusing. How do you function so well?”
“Very easily Georgy...I'm mostly deaf in my left ear so I just don't hear much of what is going on, so I can focus on what is in front of me. I have to rely on you to keep me from getting shot from behind. You are a good soldier Georgy. I'll keep you alive by killing things in front of us. You keep watching our backs and we will do fine.”
“Vasily... I have heard rumors that the Americans are giving up. They say that most of their units are nowhere to be found. Our comrades up north are complaining that there are no Yankees to kill anymore, only Limeys and Frogs. The Yanks have turned and run away according to what I hear.”
“Why do they want to kill Yankees, more than the other capitalists?”
“Because of the treasures they have in their pockets and their watches are stunning...and the Zippo lighters. According to Mikhail, they have diamonds sewn in their hems of their clothes.”
“Don't be so stupid Georgy, and don't go passing on those silly rumors. I'm sure our leaders are aware of what is going on. They will come up with a plan to crush the capitalists, once and for all. You read the reports of how the capitalist pigs were using the Germans for slave labor. We must save the workers of Western Europe from a fate worse than death. Sometimes, it takes hard times to bring good times. What we are doing here will bring true freedom to the oppressed masses of the world.”
“You sound like a commissar, Vasily.”
“Well, I guess you have to be taught how to think, Georgy. I don't want to lose you because of some misplaced counter-revolutionary ideas. Just listen to me, and what's behind me, and I'll do the fighting and thinking for both of us. Don't worry about the disappearing Yankees. They are just running faster than we can catch up. They can't run across water, so we will catch them on the coast. Our leaders have led us to victory, so far. First, over the Nazi pigs, and now, we have destroyed the French forces in front of us. Soon, we will be setting the workers of Europe free, and trapping the Yankees, against the sea. I just hope they give up easier than the French did.”
“I guess you're right, Vasily. I should have more faith in our leaders. We have come so far, so fast, so how can we doubt them?”
De Gaulle’s Final Resting Place
Chapter Seven: A Trap Is Set
Frenchmen Morning the Loss of De Gaulle and the Free French Forces
***
This is an account of one of the first major counter attacks by the NATO forces. It involves a very unusual solution.
***
Number 10, Downing Street
London, The U.K.
06:36 hours
June 17th, 1946
“The trap has been set, and the bait is in position I presume.”
“Most certainly Prime Minister; it will be something to behold. It all depends on how aggressive the Reds are but from what we've seen; they will blunder their way into it no matter what. The common soldier is more afraid of the commissars than he is of death itself. We expect them to come in fast and furious, with everything they have. The only tip-off might be the massive air umbrella we are going to put up, but they should expect that being so close to England.”
“We have tricked the Slav before, and I suspect this will do it again. Uncle Joe will be beside himself if this works and maybe the damage will be so great that he will take pause and possibly even sack his commanders. They have done an exce
llent job, so far, by the way. They are worthy opponents, as the Germans found out. I do love going up against a good adversary, but war is war. We shall have to plant the seeds of doubt after the plan is carried out and make it look obvious what we had in mind all along so that Zhukov and gang look like fools, for falling into so obvious a trap. We could even make it look like they were assisting us somehow. Likely wishful thinking, but Joe is exceedingly paranoid and mentally unstable.”
“This should push him over the edge, and possibly cause another purge, thus depriving him of his best commanders, once again. My major concern is making sure the bait can get out in time.”
“Don't worry sir, we have everything well in hand, and expect that the air cover over the area will prevent any interference with the evacuation of the rear guard. There are enough Frenchmen who no longer wish to retreat, and do not want to leave France to make it look convincing for quite a while. If all goes as planned it should be all over in a matter of hours. The Soviets will be so stunned that it will take days to react. And even then, they will be extremely reluctant to get near the coast again. We estimate it will take two weeks for them to recover and discover exactly what happened.”
“Well Admiral, even if they don't ride into the trap, it will still hold their attention and keep their eye off the ball as the Yanks say, and the rear guard will still get away, to fight again. Uncle Joe thinks this will be his answer to Dunkirk, but we shall make it his Charge of the Light Brigade.”
45km from the English Channel
Between Paris and Le Havre
June 20th, 1946
Northern Group of Forces
“I am worried Marshal Sokolovsky. The Americans have disappeared from the frontlines. We cannot penetrate past the air units of the capitalists, and we are blind as to what lies south of us, as well as along the French coast. It is a stalemate in the air war. We are blind to their intentions and can prevent their ground attack units from attacking, but we are also blind and cannot use our Sturmoviks. We gave their bombers a bloody nose, but they will be back. That was only the British. Where are the Americans?”
World War Three 1946 Series Boxed Set: Stalin Strikes First Page 8
